#11 Kean Shuts Down TCNJ, 60-44
UNION, N.J. (1/16/08) - Junior
guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.) knocked
down six three-pointers and the Kean University women's basketball
team held The College of New Jersey scoreless for the final seven
minutes of the game en-route to a 60-44 New Jersey Athletic
Conference South Division victory on Wednesday evening.
The 11th ranked Cougars (14-1, 3-1 NJAC) scored the final 15
points of the game as they handed TCNJ (11-4, 2-1 NJAC) its first
conference loss of the season.
The Lions pulled to within one point at 45-44 on a three-pointer
by sophomore guard Nicole Diaz (Egg Harbor Township,
N.J.) with exactly 7:00 remaining, however those would be
the last points TCNJ would score as the Cougars closed the game on
a 15-0 run.
The Cougars broke an 8-8 tie and used a 12-1 run to take an
11-point lead at 20-9 midway through the opening half, as Beyruti
(pictured left) knocked down four three-pointers. Kean
eventually led by as many as 12 points at 25-13, before a TCNJ 9-3
run closed the lead to six points (28-22) at intermission.
Beyruti scored 15 first-half points, hitting 5-of-6 shots from
three-point range, while TCNJ senior guard Sara Best (High
Bridge, N.J.) led the Lions with seven points and two
steals. In the half, TCNJ hit 45.5 percent of its shots
(10-of-22), while the Cougars grabbed 10 offensive rebounds to
offset their 29.7 percent shooting (11-of-37).
In the second half, Kean quickly pushed the lead back out to
double digits scoring the first four points of the half to take a
32-22 lead on a layup by freshman forward Tiffany Patrick
(Piscataway, N.J.). The Lions eventually tied the
game at 39-39 with 12:22 remaining on a three-pointer by junior
guard Lisa Koch (Oak Ridge, N.J.) and trailed by just one point at
45-44 before Kean closed the game with 15 unanswered points.
For the Cougars, Beyruti finished with a game-high 22 points,
while junior guard Ebony Jackson (Newark, N.J.)
added 13 points, five assists and three steals. Senior center
Chari' Cooper (Pauslboro, N.J.)
and Patrick each nearly had a double-double, combining for 18
points and 26 rebounds.
Junior center Hillary Klimowicz (Scotch Plains,
N.J.) was the lone Lion 
in double figures, recording a double-double with 10 points and 10
rebounds. Junior Alyssa Michella (Washington Twp.,
N.J.) had a team-high 13 rebounds.
The defenses held each team to below 33 percent shooting, as the
Lions and Cougars combined for 19 blocks in the contest.
Freshman center Angelica Bermudez (Beleville,
N.J.) (pictured right) recorded five of Kean's nine
blocks, while Klimowicz and sophomore center Alexandra
Gregorek (Mahwah, N.J.) each had five blocks for TCNJ.
The Cougars take a week off from NJAC action and face No. 7/8
Messiah College in a rematch of last year's NCAA Second Round on
Saturday, January 19, in Grantham, Pa.. Kean defeated the
host Falcons, 89-84, to advance to the Sweet Sixteen last
season.
